Yoga is great for stretching. If you do it enough, you can touch your toes and improve your parallel parking skills by twisting to see behind you.

But, it’s also great for stretching and expanding things beyond your muscles—namely your mind. Through concentration and meditation, in particular, the mind becomes stronger and more agile, in the same way our muscles are strengthened by a Vinyasa class or trip to the gym.

Another way to stretch our minds is through svadhyaya or self-study, which encourages yogis to be students of their practice and the world. One easy way to do this is to read. Since you’re reading this now, you’re off to a smashing start. BRAVO!

I recently had a request to share my favorite yoga and meditation books, so here’s a quick sampling of the ones I turn to most.

Modern yoga resources:

Living Your Yoga (Judith Lasater)

Eastern Body, Western Mind (Anodea Judith)

Yoga for Emotional Balance by my friend Bo Forbes

Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga by the late Georg Feuerstein

Mudras: Yoga in your Hands (Gertrud Hirschi)

Anything by B.K.S. Iyengar…

Classical yoga texts (each with multiple translations):

Bhagavad Gita

The Upanishads

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Meditation books:

Wherever You Go There You Are by mindfulness pioneer Jon Kabat-Zinn (and dad to one my dearest friends).

When Things Fall Apart by no nonsense Buddhist nun Pema Chodron

As an English major, former English teacher, writer, and proud nerd founder of the Om Gal Book Club, it’s no secret that I’m a major bookworm. I even have the knots in my shoulder and neck to prove it from lugging 2-3 books in my handbag at all times. I think it’s time for an e-reader…

And since they’re not all yoga books (not even close), I’ll share what else I’ve been reading lately and what I plan to read next.

Some of my absolute favorites on here (naturally). I adored Priscilla’s book and suspect you will too! I want to check out that Running with the Mind of Meditation book. And have you read Devotion by Dani Shapiro?

Sarah Sturges

love, love, love, everything Anne Lamott and her newest has been on my list! xox